Melbourne High School Community Newsletter – Term 2 – Week 3 2026
Principal’s Message – Greetings from Central Australia
Greetings form Central Australia
At the time of writing this message, I am six days into an eight-day trek through Central Australia.
Our journey has taken us from Alice Springs to Uluru, connecting deeply with Country and spending time with local Elders. It has been a truly life-changing experience for all involved.
Each day, students have written reflections on their experiences. Yesterday’s reflection, in particular, beautifully captures the depth of what we have been privileged to experience together.
Payla everyone. This is Day 5 from Pak To and Harry. Today is the most “relaxing” day yet in this amazing Outback journey.
We woke up at 5:30 again well rested. Rising from our warm swags, greeted by the welcoming starry night sky, kissed by moonlight. We had a quick brekkie, Thanks Cara! and with a full belly, we efficiently packed our day packs, and loaded into the adventure bus.
We arrived at Kings Canyon car park. as the sun rose, angelically spreading its light and warmth. We set off on our hike, spirits high, guided by all-knowing Reg remote and James, whose wisdom was shared throughout the journey.
The hike blessed us with breath taking scenery, glorious views and fulfilling fulfilment. We periodically rested at times along the trail, taking in the gorgeous landscape, likened to rocky, red blocks of chocolate, seasoned with green shrubbery. Special moments were found with every step.
Reg and James told us about native floras in Watarrka National Park, like how the spinifex is used to burn Country, how ipi ipi is used as bandages, and how lemongrass makes a great natural fragrance.
We stopped for a cheeky dip at a secret water hole, the was water unforgivingly cold, yet blissful. We partaked in professional “falling” in, splashing about. For the non-swimmers, we had a lovely time chilling on the banks of the waterhole, encountering cute little frogs by the water and on the trees.
After the morning leisure’s , we had a restful arvo, partaking in “chukapa” through dot painting. Arvo was also filled with games and chats, all whilst enjoying kangaroo tails, straight off the fire.
Lilla, Kings Canyon, and the waterhole are extremely amazing, and we will treasure this experience for the rest of our lives. Can’t wait for Uluṟu tomorrow!
2026 Melbourne High School House Athletics Carnival – Michael Chandler, Director of Sport
The 2026 Melbourne High School House Athletics Carnival once again celebrated the proud tradition and spirit of one of the school’s longest-standing events, continuing a legacy that dates back to 1928. Held across two action-packed days at Lakeside Stadium, students competed with outstanding determination, resilience, and pride for their respective houses.
The carnival featured exceptional performances across both track and field events, with students displaying remarkable athleticism and house spirit throughout the competition. From thrilling sprint finishes to fiercely contested relays, the atmosphere across both days reflected the strength and enthusiasm of Melbourne High School’s sporting culture.
A number of standout individual performances lit up the carnival. Forrest athletes Matthew Rong and Rayhan Shah delivered dominant sprint performances, while Waterloo’s Ario Sakhaie and Christian Richardson impressed in the middle-distance events. Como’s Shantan RS produced one of the performances of the meet, winning both the 17 Years 100m and 200m events in blistering times.
The relay events also brought incredible energy and excitement, with every house contributing spirited team performances that had students and staff cheering throughout the stadium. Waterloo’s depth and consistency across all age groups ultimately proved decisive, helping them secure the 2026 House Athletics Cup with an impressive 1,022 points. Forrest finished strongly in second place on 824 points, narrowly ahead of Yarra on 813 points, while Como placed fourth with 764 points.
Individual performances of excellence, and those who accumulated the highest number of points for their house, were recognised through the awarding of Age Group Champion (AGC) honours:
- 14 Year Old AGC: Braydon Chai (Waterloo)
- 15 Year Old AGC: Christian Richardson (Waterloo)
- 16 Year Old AGC: Rayhan Shah (Forrest)
- 17 Year Old AGC: Felix Conboy (Yarra)
- 18–20 Year Old AGC: Matthew Rong (Forrest)
The success of the carnival would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of Melbourne High School staff and the officials from Athletics Victoria, whose professionalism ensured the smooth running of all events.
A special thank you must also go to Adrian Cannatelli and Sonya Mulholland for their extensive work behind the scenes in organising and coordinating the carnival. Their dedication and commitment played a significant role in delivering another memorable chapter in Melbourne High School’s rich athletics history.
Athletics Victoria Cross Country Road Relays –Dr Shaun Kemp
Last Saturday, under clear skies at Princes Park, two Melbourne High School cross country teams competed against some of the strongest private and government schools in Victoria at the Athletics Victoria Cross Country Road Relays.
The event consisted of teams of four students, with each runner completing a challenging 3km lap.
The Under 18 team delivered a strong performance, finishing 13th out of 31 schools in a highly competitive field.
Under 18 Results
- Wesley College – 38:12
- Brighton Grammar – 38:38
- Donvale Christian College – 40:02
- Melbourne High School – 45:53
- Radheesh Hatharasinghe – 11:04
- Andy Yu – 11:16
- River La – 11:00
- Tanav Rajesh – 12:33
The Under 16 team also competed with great determination, finishing 24th out of 44 teams.
Under 16 Results
- Caulfield Grammar School – 41:03
- St Bede’s College – 41:13
- St Kevin’s College – 41:53
- Melbourne High School – 53:22
- Casper Lee – 12:01
- Daniel Khodadian – 14:41
- Aarav Ajithkumar – 13:52
- Jeremy Ding – 12:48
Congratulations to all students who represented Melbourne High School with commitment, resilience, and sportsmanship throughout the event.
Toolbox Education Parent Information Session
On the night of the first Parent/Student/Teacher conferences, families of our Year 9 students were invited to attend an online parent information session facilitated by Toolbox Education, focused on the concept of Thinking Traps. The session introduced parents and carers to key ideas drawn from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), particularly common cognitive distortions. These are patterns of unhelpful thinking that can influence emotions, behaviour, and wellbeing with a particular impact during adolescence.
Sam, the psychologist from Toolbox Education discussed ideas related to “all-or-nothing thinking”, “mind reading”, and “catastrophising”, helping parents recognise how these thinking traps can show up in everyday teenage experiences. He provided examples and engagement opportunities to highlight how these Thinking Traps affect the how they present both at school and home environments and the supports that parents can put in place to support them.
Importantly, the parent session was aligned with upcoming student workshops. During these sessions, Year 9 students will explore these concepts in greater depth and develop practical strategies to manage unhelpful thinking. By sharing a common language between school, students, and home, we aim to strengthen the support around our young people as they build emotional literacy, resilience, and self-awareness.